Tell the Berenstain Bears to follow the Muppets' lead and cut ties with Chick-fil-A.

[Ian David]

Tell the Berenstain Bears to follow the Muppets' lead and cut ties with Chick-fil-A.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/chickfila_antigay/?rc=tw1

"Guilty as charged."

Those were Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy's words when the Baptist Press asked about his company's financial backing of anti-gay organizations that promote the "traditional family." For Chick-fil-A, this means funneling millions of dollars in corporate profits to vehemently anti-gay groups, including ones that practice "gay-to-straight" conversion therapy and hate groups that advocate for the criminalization of homosexual behavior.

In response, on Friday night, the Jim Henson company severed ties with Chick-fil-A, and instead will be donating money to GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.1

Now, Chick-fil-A is planning to partner with the Berenstain Bears for its next promotion, using the beloved bear family as a prize package for its kids' meals. Losing business partners is a huge blow to the chicken-centric fast-food giant, and the strongest lesson possible to the company that its anti-gay stance is out of touch with modern values. To ensure the Berenstain's -- and Chick-fil-A -- get the message, SumOfUs.org is partnering with CREDO to bring as much pressure to bear as we can against corporate homophobia.

Tell the Berenstain Bears to follow the Muppets' lead and cut ties with Chick-fil-A.

Chick-fil-A has a long history of handing out money to groups like Exodus International, which specializes in "gay conversion therapy," a process that views homosexuality as a mental disorder which needs to be "cured." In addition, Chick-fil-A supports the Family Research Council, which advocates for the criminalization of homosexuality and has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Chick-fil-A is fast becoming a national symbol for supporters of homophobia. Next Wednesday, August 1st, Chick-fil-A's anti-gay supporter, Mike Huckabee is organizing National Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day to support the company's culture of homophobia. Two days later, on August 3rd, activists are organizing National Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A to challenge Chick-fil-A's "real" definition of a family.2

Chick-fil-A has faced a lot of criticism for its stance, but the Muppets cutting ties with Chick-fil-A has been the company's biggest blow yet. Fast food toy partnerships are multi-million dollar endeavors, with companies using them as the centerpiece of huge advertising campaigns to their target audience of young children. Getting The Berenstain Bears to follow the Muppets out the door will add more fuel to a massive media firestorm and show Chick-fil-A that supporting anti-gay groups is definitely bad for business.



Tell the Berenstain Bears to cut ties to Chick-fil-A over its homophobic stance.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/chickfila_antigay/?rc=tw1

[GObamaGO]

1. K & R

[MattBaggins]

2. Not going to happen

BB is a right wing org now

[Curtland1015]

3. I dunno, I've met several gay bears.

They usually aren't right wing...

[arely staircase]

4. they're orthodox?

i always assumed they were reformed/liberal,

[Old Union Guy]

6. ??? -- They are Christians. n/t

[arely staircase]

8. itd s joke nt

[Ian David]

10. Sad but true: Jan Berenstain, bears, not Jewish

Sad but true: Jan Berenstain, bears, not Jewish

Sorry folks: Jan Berenstain, widow of Stan Berenstain (MOT), who died in 2005, died Feb. 24 at 88. While her husband was Jewish, Berenstain was an Episcopalian, and a few of her final Berenstain bears books were overtly Christian. "The Living Lights" was a late series of Bear-books featuring such titles as, "The Berenstain Bears Say Their Prayers,” “The Berenstain Bears Go to Sunday School,” and “The Berenstain Bears: God Loves You.”

“This news makes me sad for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being that now Jewish kids can't include the Berenstain's in their secret club,” book blogger Adam Wilson wrote in 2010.

The couple's “Bear Country” had a morality “based largely on the Golden Rule rather than on religion,” the Washington Post wrote in its obituary of Jan Berenstain.

A 2002 article about the Berenstains in the Forward after they published a joint autobioraphy had the couple saying they would never produce a Hanukkah book:

The Berenstains have been asked by countless fans if they can expect a Berenstains Hannukah book. Not likely, they said. "There's no way to do it without bringing religion into it," said Stan. Christmas, the Berenstains reason, is popular and widespread enough so that it doesn't get into the murky waters of competing religions.

More:
http://blogs.jta.org/eulogizer/article/2012/02/29/3091902/sad-but-true-jan-berenstain-bears-not-jewish/

[arely staircase]

11. espiscopalians

are as far from fundie as a Christian can be. They believe in evolution, ordain openly gay priests and are currently laying the groundwork for performing gay marriages. I am one myself. So if they are good Episcopalians they will show chick fil hate the door's.

[Ian David]

12. That would be awesome. n/t

[Kalidurga]

5. done nt

[Tom Ripley]

7. Bears?

[Ian David]

9. They are, after all, the number one threat facing our country. n/t

[LibertyLover]

13. Well-armed bears could be a threat.

n/t

[Ian David]

14. 'Berenstain Bears' Appears To Distance Themselves From Chick-Fil-A Despite Upcoming Kids' Meal Partn

'Berenstain Bears' Appears To Distance Themselves From Chick-Fil-A Despite Upcoming Kids' Meal Partnership

The family behind one of America's most beloved children's book series is the latest to distance itself from the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A.

The Berenstain family, whose iconic "Berenstain Bears" stories have been a childhood favorite for over 50 years, said in a statement that an upcoming kids' meal partnership with the Atlanta-based restaurant chain, set to begin next month, is out of their control and solely in the hands of their publishers, HarperCollins.

"This program was in development for over a year," the statement reads. "We were unaware of any controversy involving Chick-fil-A until July 25."

The family then dismissed any further responsibility for the partnership's future, saying they "hope those concerned about this issue will direct their comments toward HarperCollins and Chick-fil-A."

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/30/berenstain-bears-chick-fil-a-kids-meal-partnership_n_1720738.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=904292,b=facebook


Tell the Berenstain Bears to follow the Muppets' lead and cut ties with Chick-fil-A.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/chickfila_antigay/?rc=tw1